Activities
MuseumSightseeingWalking TourShoppingAdventureExplorerFood & CulinaryPhotographySee ItineraryTour Overview
During this 13-day trip, you will not only explore the remarkably beautiful landscapes and the friendly indigenous people of the Andean highlands but there will also be plenty of beach time on the Pacific coast.
Highlights
- Quito
- Cotopaxi National Park
- Baños de Agua Santa
- Cuenca
- Chimborazo
- Riobamba
- Guayaquil
- Puerto López
Itinerary
Welcome to Quito, the capital of Ecuador! Arrive at the Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO), where your driver will meet you to transfer to your accommodation in the city center, a one-hour trip.
The entire city of Quito is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, standing at an altitude of 9,350ft (2,850m). It welcomes visitors with its picturesque plazas situated between mountain peaks. The city has an abundance of market stands, shamanistic healers, and fourth-generation hat makers, as well as a vibrant and sophisticated culinary and nightlife scene.
Overnight: Quito
Meals included: None
Today, after breakfast, your English-speaking guide will pick you up from your hotel and take you on a walking city tour.
The colonial center of Quito was already named world cultural heritage by UNESCO in 1978 and is home to many beautiful, historic buildings and squares. You will visit the Plaza Grande and the beautiful churches La Compañía and La Basílica, and walk down the oldest street of Quito—La Ronda.
Later on, accompanied by your guide, we will head to a cooking class venue, which is located inside a colonial house in the heart of Old Town Quito. Get ready for a packed day filled with incredible sights, tastes, and smells. And at the end of it all …. you will be able to enjoy the delicious meal you cooked.
Afterward, you will visit the equatorial monument, Mitad del Mundo, located just 26 km (16 miles) north of Ecuador’s capital city, Quito where French scientists determined the position of the central line many years ago. Ecuador is the place to come to stand on the Equator line, nowhere else on the planet is it easier to visit the Equator line or strike a pose with one foot in each hemisphere. Even Ecuador’s name was born of its location at latitude zero. You will vis
it the museum exhibits including a planetarium, ethnographic museum, art exhibits, a small-scale model of Quito city, an old train station, a beer museum, cocoa & chocolate exhibits, and a small chapel, for an unforgettable experience today.
Overnight: Quito
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Today, you will visit to the market of Otavalo. Otavalo features one of the most important traditional markets of South America. Here, the indigenous people of the surrounding areas gather to trade anything from animals over handicraft to fresh vegetables and fruits. Take a stroll through the streets and maybe try some of the local street food such as salted mango or fritada con mote, fried pork with cooked corn.
Afterwards, you will head to the small waterfall Peguche, formed by the river of the same name. This waterfall is considered as an indigenous ceremonial site. After visiting the waterfall, you could also stop by the local artisans who live and work in this area. For your overnight stay, you return to Quito.
Meals included: Breakfast
After breakfast, you head south to Cotopaxi National Park. You will visit Lake Limpiopungo as well as the El Salitre Inca ruins, located in the highlands of the park. Here, you will have a spectacular view of Cotopaxi Volcano's gigantic cone. Lake Limpiopungo offers a variety of birds, and occasionally even wild horses. A short walk around the lake will allow you to admire the Andean plant and animal life along the way. If time permits, hike up to the refuge to enjoy the view from above as well! In the afternoon you continue your journey to Baños where you will spend the night.
Meals included: Breakfast
Group type: Private group
Today you will leave Baños after breakfast and make your way to the impressive volcano Chimborazo. You should already be able to spot it several times along the way. If the altitude does not affect you, take a walk to the refuge Carrell at 4.800 m and enjoy the splendid view of the surrounding valleys and mountains.
Afterward, continue your journey towards Riobamba, a small Andean town where you will spend the night.
Meals included: Breakfast
Group type: Private group
Today, you will slowly continue your journey southwards. Enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery along the way, before making a stop at Ingapirca, one of the most important ruins from Pre-Inca times. Late afternoon, you will finally arrive in Cuenca, which is said to be one of the most beautiful cities in South America. Overnight stay in Cuenca.
Meals included: Breakfast
Group type: Private group
This morning, your guide will pick you up for a city tour. The beauty and colonial ambience of Cuenca is best experienced on foot. Our three to four hours Cuenca city tour weaves its way through the old town center, designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, to give you a short introduction to the city before heading to Turi to enjoy the incredible view.
The rest of the afternoon is at leisure. Overnight stay in Cuenca.
Meals included: Breakfast
Group type: Private group
Your first stop today is the beautiful Cajas National Park. This National Park comprises more than 200 interconnected high-altitude lagoons. The Cajas is not only source of many rivers, but even connects to the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean. You have some time to enjoy the view from the lookout or to take a short walk to one of the many lagoons. Afterwards, you continue your journey westwards and stop at a Hacienda where you will get to know the process of chocolate making and where you can have a delicious, local lunch. In the afternoon, you will drive through lush vegetation until reaching Ecuador's biggest city, Guayaquil. Overnight stay in Guayaquil.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Group type: Private group
Today you are going on a city tour, starting with a visit to the Seminario Park, a very popular meeting point for young Ecuadorian lovers. Furthermore this little park is well-known for its land iguanas which laze about in the trees while they catch the sun. We will visit the Cathedral, built in classical gothic style and then we move on to Guayaquil’s famous wide, tree-lined waterfront, “el Malecon”, that runs alongside the river Guayas. Next stop will be the historic local government buildings, the “Palacio Municipal” and then the “Palacio de Gobernacion” (the Government Palace). Right in front of this palace is the Moorish clock tower “La Torre Morisca”, which was built in 1843, and with a little effort climbing its steep stairs, we can enjoy the views across the city. La Rotonda, another historic monument, is a statue that marks the meeting between Simon Bolivar and Jose San Martin in 1822. The old district of Las Peñas, a vestige of old Guayaquil to the north end of the Malecon, is a picturesque neighbourhood built on the Cerro Santa Ana hill on the edge of the river. Climbing the stairway amid the brightly painted wooden houses, you will gain a different perspective of Ecuador’s largest city.
Meals included: Breakfast
Group type: Private group
After breakfast, you will board a small yacht in the fishing village of Puerto Lopez which will take you to the amazing Island "Isla de la Plata" (Silver Island) in the Pacific Ocean. The name (Silver Island) derives from the local legend that Sir Francis Drake buried some treasure here – also it is said to be Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. The island is part of the Machalilla National Park and sea lions, and blue-footed boobies are amongst the main characters to be viewed. You can also observe frigate birds, red-footed and masked boobies, waved albatross, and tropicbirds among others. After a walk around the island’s guided trail, there will be time to explore beneath the ocean while you snorkel.
From mid-June to mid-October humpback whales can often be sighted on the journey to and from the island.
In the afternoon, you will be transferred back to Guayaquil where you're going to spend the night.
Overnight stay in Puerto Lopez
Meals included: Breakfast
Group type: Private group
The Machalilla National Park extends over 55000 hectares and is concerned with preserving marine ecosystems as well as the dry tropical forest and archaeological sites on shore. After breakfast we recommend a visit to Agua Blanca (not included). This little village has an archaeological museum explaining the excavation of the Manteño site, which is about a half-hour walk through tropical dry forest away. After the visit you could continue to the nearby beach - Los Frailes, said to be the most beautiful beach of the Ecuadorian coast. Later you have the chance to explore the pleasant little fishing town Puerto Lopez. This pleasant little fishing town (population 14000) is beautifully set in a horseshoe bay, with a broad sweep of beach enclosed by headlands to the North and South. It’s interesting to watch the arrival of the local fishermen in the morning and evening – the fish are gutted on the spot and the air is full of wheeling frigate birds trying to grab the scraps.
Meals included: Breakfast
Group type: Private group
After breakfast and a last stroll through Puerto Lopez, you will be brought back to Guayaquil and dropped off at the airport for your connecting flight.
Meals included: Breakfast
Group type: Private group
In the morning, you will have some time in a hotel to refresh yourself and be ready to take the international Flight. End of services.
Meals included: Breakfast
Group type: Private group
Trip includes
Included
12 nights of accommodation in hotels (2.5 Stars)
HotelEnglish Speaking Driver Guide
Guiding Method
Fully guided
Meals as mentioned on the itinerary.
Vegan Vegetarian MeatAll transfers according to the program
Private VehicleExcluded
International flights are not included in the price.
Please book the arrival and departure to Quito individually according to the itinerary.
Travel Insurance
We recommend that you take out travel cancellation and health insurance.
Please check with your private insurance provider in advance.
- Optional excursions
- Personal expenses such as tips
- Alcoholic drinks
- Any other meals, drinks, and/or services not mentioned in the program
Availability
Loading. Please wait.
Book the tour by paying only 25% upfront, and settle the remaining amount 30 days before the tour departure.
Request a Private, Customizable Departure
By design, this is a group tour. You can however request a private, customized version of this tour for yourself or your private group of people. Private departures are usually more expensive, but come with these benefits:
Personal
Itinerary can be tweaked and customized.
Protected
Travel withing your own bubble.
Professional
Access our Travel Specialists insider knowledge.
Privacy
Enjoy a tour focused solely on you or your travel group.
Why book with Travelshopbooking
Best price quaranteed.
100% financial protection.
Earn $20+ in travel credits.
Cancellation Policy
No refunds will be issued for discounted tours offered as part of the "Black Friday" campaign.
On our global marketplace TravelShop Booking Supplier is recognized globally as an online tourism marketplace connecting travelers, suppliers, and tour operators worldwide. All users acknowledge that TravelShop Booking is a platform not liable for canceled tours, poor services, or unforeseen circumstances occurring before, during, or after the tour.
Additionally, all suppliers (worldwide companies providing land services) are responsible for adding their cancellation terms and conditions to their dashboard, which can be viewed in the "Cancellation Policy" section on the front page of the website. However, if a supplier fails to include their cancellation terms and conditions, the following rules apply, and by booking a tour, both the supplier, operators, and travelers agree to abide by them.
All parties must understand that this text will be valid if any Supplier has not added their cancellation policy to the system. By booking any supplier's tour via our website, all parties will be deemed to have accepted these terms and conditions.
- Suppliers are global companies that provide land tours and services to operators and travelers. According to the TravelShop Booking Supplier agreement, all Suppliers are responsible for adding their own terms and conditions, including information on tour cancellations.
- All travelers and operators need to check the including and the excluding section locate in the tour detail page below the itinerary and Supplier must add this section while he/she adding his tour to the website. In the event that the included and excluded sections are empty and the parties disagree on this issue, an agreement will be reached between the parties by determining the included and excluded services on similar tours with similar prices. At this stage, the parties are deemed to have agreed to rely on the initiative of TravelShop Booking.
- Reservations: Reservations can be made from the Tour Detail page, from the Availability section located below the itinerary. Additionally, right below the Availability section, travelers can select the Private Tour option to contact the tour operator and book the tour privately. Simply fill out your contact details and write your question; one of our experts will promptly respond to assist you. Please note that some tours may not be customized privately; therefore, there is no Private Tour option in the Availability section.
Once you confirm your booking by clicking the "Book Now" button, you will be directed to the Checkout page. Firstly, enter all your details, and please double-check the names, passport, and flight details. Upon proceeding with the booking, we will charge a 25% booking deposit to your credit card. - Deposit and Payments: Your booking will be confirmed upon receipt of a non-refundable deposit for your online order by credit card. Payment will then be made in stages as indicated below.
Booking Day 4 Weeks Before 2 Weeks Before Land Tours 15%
Non Refundable35% 50% Tours with domestic flights 25%
Non Refundable25% 50% Yacht Tours 25%
Non Refundable25% 50% The full amount of the tour must be paid 15 days before the departure date. If not, it will be consider as a cancellation, hence cancellation penalties will be charged. However, if you have booked any of our tours, including domestic flight tickets, then cancellation penalties and the full amount of the flights will be charged.
Payments with Visa and Mastercard can be made in pounds, euros, or dollars. However, if you choose to pay with American Express, a 4% bank fee will apply.
A reservation made through the website on a regular basis cannot be changed. However, travelers can discuss the services and other details if they book the tour privately. Tours booked privately can only be changed if seats are available. Any changes to an entire private reservation will be considered a cancellation and will be subject to cancellation fees, resulting in a 100% loss of deposit.
- Booking Changes: Once your private booking is confirmed, any changes will incur a €50.00 fee.
- Cancellations and Refunds: Cancellation quieries must be made in wirten and signed by the traveler or tour operators.
- Due to limited seats and the organizations being planned days in advance, any Anzac Day Gallipoli Tours will not be refunded, including the 25% deposits.
- If you have booked a tour that includes domestic flight tickets, the tickets will be charged at the full amount. Cancellations must be made at least 8 weeks before the tour departure; otherwise, late penalties will apply.
The rest of the cancellation terms are listed below:4 Weeks Before 3 Weeks Before 2 Weeks Before 1 Weeks Before Land Tours 85% 50% 30% No refund Domestic Flight Tours & Yacht Tous 75% 50% 30% No refund - Please remember no refund policy applies on all flight tickets. Travelers and Operators might hae keep thie balances without refund amounths is they prefer to keep them in the system as Future Tour Credits. This is a convenient way to avoid from both no refunds and decrease the full amounts.
Future Tour Credits: This system is designed for travelers who wish or need to cancel their booking due to certain reasons. In such cases, travelers and operators can retain the full balance amount in the system and utilize it for a future tour. Additionally, travelers can book new tours from the deals pages and, by doing so, not only avoid reduced refund amounts but also avail of discounted tours.
Future Tour Credits are only applicable for tours listed on the deals page; campaigns offering substantial discounts, such as Black Friday deals, are not valid. However, they can choose their new tours from all categories on our pages.
What Is Future Tour Credit?: Future Tour Credits is a feature that allows travelers to re-book their travel at a later date instead of canceling for some reason. Sometimes travelers may have to or want to cancel their paid travels due to reasons beyond their control. With this feature, you can specify the amount as credit and allow them to use it for their re-bookings with your brand for a new date. Suppliers and travelers can notify us through [email protected] for details.
Yacht and Hotels: The availability of accommodations is always a crucial aspect of nearly all types of tours. If the hotel listed by the Supplier in the included and excluded sections is unavailable, the Supplier is responsible for arranging a similar hotel for the traveler and notifying the traveler accordingly.
Prices: All suppliers are responsible for keeping their prices up to date. In the event that a supplier's price is not current at the time of a booked tour, they are obligated to conduct the tour at the price listed on our platform. Therefore, we strongly advise suppliers to review and update their prices at least every six months, - twice a year.
Discounts / Special Offers: If travelers book a discounted tour from any of the Suppliers, they are required to make the full payment at the time of booking. Additionally, no cancellations or refunds are accepted for discounted tours. This rule protects the supplier from potential financial losses while also incentivizing them to offer promotions.
Children Discounts: children between 0 to 11 have discounts listed below. Older than 11 years old children are charged full amount and children younger than 18 must travel with ab adult. There will be no exception about it. Also 25% of the tour coast will be charges for baby seats for buses.
Under 2 Years Old | 2-6 Years Old | 7-11 Years Old | Above 11 Years Old | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Land Tours | Free | Free | 25% | Full amount |
Tours with Domestic Flights | Euro 20 for flight tickets | 50% | 25% | Full amount |
Baby seat for bus | +25% | +25% | N/A | N/A |
Flights: If it is not a special category, generally, international and domestic flights are not included to the tours. Hence, travelers are responsible for booking their own international flight tickets and notifying the supplier of their arrival if airport transfer is promised. Flight cancellations, delays, and all types of flight penalties are the responsibility of the traveler and the airline company. The supplier bears no responsibility in such cases.
Tours included domestic flight tickets: Certain tour packages feature domestic flight tickets. In this case, the supplier needs to provide you with copies of all your flight tickets, tour vouchers, itinerary, hotel contact information, and confirmation emails. Additionally, these documents will be included in your welcome pack upon arrival at the airport. It's crucial to carefully review all information (names, arrival and departure times, flight details, etc.) and promptly notify us of any discrepancies. Once booked and confirmed, we cannot be held responsible for any errors in this information. Please note that a maximum of 15-20 kilograms is allowed on domestic flights.
Insurance: Having travel insurance will protect travelers against unexpected situations such as health problems, flight delays, burglaries, etc., during your tour. Therefore, we highly advise all travelers to obtain insurance before departure.
a. The following insurance policies, which are not included in any tour packages, can be helpful against unforeseen circumstances.
b. Travel cancellation insurance: This helps minimize financial risk in case the traveler needs to cancel before departure.
c. Travel interruption insurance: This helps minimize financial risk in case the traveler experiences an interruption during the trip after departure.
Adequate health insurance.
All suppliers need to provide travelers with the transport schedule, luggage limit information, airport transfers, guides, and meeting point information via email and upon meeting travelers in person. Additionally, it is the travelers' responsibility to review the instructions carefully and not to miss the meeting points and times.
Entrance Fees: All entrance fees mentioned in the itinerary are included in the tour price and will be paid before or during the tour. Additionally, travelers have the option to visit museums and other places with entrance fees at their own expense if they wish.
Accommodation: Suppliers are required to provide the hotels listed in the itinerary. However, in cases where the listed hotels are unavailable due to reasons such as seasonality or other mandatory circumstances, suppliers must offer similar alternatives to the travelers.
Check in and check out: According to global standards, hotel check-in time is typically 14:00, and check-out time is 12:00. To inquire about early check-in and late check-out options, suppliers and/or travelers need to contact the hotel directly.
Private and Regular Tours: Both regular and private tours are offered on our website. A private tour is exclusive to those with reservations, while a regular tour allows for a larger number of participants. Pricing varies based on group size and tour type. Please be aware that the Supplier reserves the right to modify the order of activities outlined in the booked itinerary if necessary.
Optional tours: Depending on your tour, you can find various optional tours on our website and book them separately. It's important to note that these optional tours are not included in traveler's main tour package. While travelers can book these optional tours online.
Passports & Visas: Travelers need a valid passport and visa for the country they will visit. TravelShop Booking and Suppliers do not provide any passports or visas for any cases. They can only provide invitation letters, which will help you in your visa application after you have paid the full balance of the tour.
Personal items: TravelShop Booking&Suppliers are not responsible for the loss of personal items such as jewelry, money, or valuable documents. Utilizing the hotel safes or facilities provided at the Guest Relations Desk can be helpful in safeguarding your belongings. Additionally, travel insurance is professionally recommended to travelers for unforeseen events.
Travel Prohibitions: Passengers who are 27 weeks pregnant or more may be prohibited from traveling, prioritizing their safety and health. However, travel may be permitted with sufficient medical documentation up to 24-26 weeks of pregnancy. Please consult your doctor before planning your tour.
Dietary Requirements: If you need or require special dietary requirements, including vegetarian, diabetic, children's menus, and dairy-free options please notify your Supplier before the tour departure. If you have any dietary sensitivities, please notify them at least 2 weeks before your tour start date.
Handicapped Services: Suppliers offer private services tailored to meet handicapped requirements, along with accessible tours. For assistance, please reach out to your tour supplier to make arrangements.
Photos and Videos during tour: At times, Suppliers gather photos and videos to share on their social media accounts and for marketing purposes. Suppliers should always ask for travelers' permission first. Travelers have the option to decline participation in these visual documents. If travelers notice any photos or videos being shared without their consent, please inform your Supplier and us ([email protected]) to have them removed.
Tipping: Tipping, like in the rest of the world, is a cultural practice that fosters goodwill and encourages helpfulness. Please check your itinerary for tipping details or ask your Supplier.
Disclosure Notice All travelers acknowledge that TravelShop Booking is a global marketplace that offers an online platform connecting tour suppliers providing various land services, operators who purchase tours for their travelers, and travelers seeking tours, including optional tours across various categories. All users are aware of and agree to this.
TravelShop Booking reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to allow suppliers worldwide to post, upload, publish, submit, or transmit text, images, graphics, videos, or other materials (collectively, "Content") on the platform. When Suppliers share Content on the Platform, they grant TravelShop Booking permission to use it, including in publications and promotional materials. By granting this permission, Suppliers provide TravelShop Booking with a worldwide, irreversible, perpetual, non-exclusive, royalty-free license. TravelShop Booking does not claim ownership of this content. Moreover, these Terms do not limit any rights you may have to use and exploit the Content. Additionally, TravelShop Booking can remove any Content deemed abusive, harmful, illegal, pornographic, incites hate, obscene or defamatory, racist, sexist, or similar without prior permission or notification.
On our global platform, tours are booked directly with the respective supplier, and their current terms and conditions apply. If the suppliers have not uploaded their terms and conditions, then TravelShop Booking's terms and conditions are applicable. By booking a tour, the supplier, operator, and travelers agree to our terms and conditions.
By clicking "Book Now," you are booking the tours provided by that specific supplier. The contract for your travel adventure is established when the supplier accepts your booking. In this scenario, the contract is directly between you, the traveler and the supplier. If you are an operator, then the contract is between the operator, and the supplier. TravelShop Booking saves the contract text and your booking data to manage the contractual relationship.
When utilizing the TravelShop Booking platform, travelers commit to supplying all necessary personal information promptly, comprehensively, and truthfully. Specifically, travelers need to disclose upfront any circumstances and restrictions that may impact the execution of services by TravelShop Booking and the supplier, such as special needs like food intolerances, restricted mobility, or health conditions.
The Traveler commits to reviewing all contractual documents received through Travelshop Booking's Services, such as travel contracts, booking confirmations, and vouchers, for accuracy and completeness, including spelling errors (e.g., name, date of birth, special travel requirements). Any identified errors must be promptly reported to TravelShop Booking and the Supplier.
Travelers are responsible for notifying TravelShop Booking and tour suppliers during their booking process about any restrictions they may have, such as restricted mobility, pregnancy, or special medical needs.
It is recommended that any complaints be submitted in writing to TravelShop Booking via [email protected]. Failure to report any discrepancies may prejudice the Traveler. However, reporting a discrepancy alone does not impose any legal obligations on TravelShop Booking or the Supplier.
In the event that the Traveler receives payments related to claims for damages or price reductions due to breach of contract, they must promptly inform TravelShop Booking.
Need help or have a question about this tour?
if you have any question about this tour or need help with planning a trip, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
We're ready to help.
Kindly feel free to ask the tour provider for details on pricing, quotas, and additional information.